irenewilde   10 #49 Posted January 4, 2010 We bought a bird feeder this weekend - after being inspired by my Mum over Christmas - she has lots of birds in her garden, and I always loved / still love watching them. Decided to get one myself, but was unsure as to if we'd get any birds due to where we live - lots of cats about in Hillsborough! Really pleased - managed to see robin and blackbird yesterday! Am i likely to get more and more types of birds coming - we live in Hillsoborough anyone else get other types in Hillsborough? Only shame is I'm out all day so have to wait til weekend to watch them again!  I think you'll get more as they get used to the food being there - if they know they can rely on it they'll come every day and others will follow. I have a cat myself, who I'm afraid, is not averse to catching the odd bird much to my distress. Not even 3 bells on her collar and spraying her with a water pistol when she catches one appears to make a difference. However, this doesn't appear to affect the amount of birds coming to my garden. I've had 38 different species in the time I've lived here! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
hard2miss   10 #50 Posted January 4, 2010 I put out fruit loaf on my bird table (its roofed for song bird size) and when I look 30 min later its gone.  They realy could do with the help in this weather. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Twitcher   10 #51 Posted January 4, 2010 Hey Irene, many thanks for putting on this post and bringing our garden birds to the fore.  Hopefully they'll find feeders folks have put out, I like you always feed Oct to March when food is less plentiful for them.  Water is very important as they find it even harder to source and keeping it from icing over is very hard.  Fat is very important for the smaller ones like wrens who can die overnight as they use up their little fat reserves just to keep alive bless em, so any leftovers made into birdcake with fruit and seed are good. I always buy apples and clear a space for the blackbirds who prefer to feed on the ground. I envy you with all those species the most I ever got was around 24 and that was at another property, here at best I get Blackbirds, 2 resident Dunnocks (always around) a tame Robin in springtime who comes for live mealworms, blue tits, great tits and occasionally a coal tit. So you're very lucky, ah and yes the Magpies, I'm sure RSPB sell anti magpie feeders but they are very persistent!  Keep up the good work as we are losing more of our garden birds each year without the weather being bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
sweeney todd   10 #52 Posted January 4, 2010 The ground has been frozen and mostly under snow for over 2 weeks now. Can I please ask people to consider putting food out for the birds if they're not already doing so? Dried fruit, nuts, apples or pears that might be a bit past their best, cheese, bacon rind, bits of old Christmas pud etc. Or buy some fat balls, suet treats, peanuts. The birds must be struggling by now, judging by the amount that visit my garden every day. It's a satisfying feeling to know you're helping them and you may even spot a bird you haven't seen before as species that don't usually feed in gardens are coming in from the countryside. (Wasn't sure if this belonged in "Sheffield" or "General" discussions. Please move it if I've chosen the wrong section. Thank you)  re:feed the birds,We feed the birds every day and we have all sort's of birds come into our garden,[dove's which have been breeding and having their young in our garden for a few year's,magpies,tit's of all kind's,crow's,woodpigeon,wren,thrush'es,a robin that stay's all year,sparrow's,starling's,and lot's more,we once found a dead bird that had flown into the the window and died ,i had to look it up in our bird book as i had not seen one before,it was a treecreeper,we were so sad it was a lovely bird,but yesterday and today [3rd & 4th of jan]we had a great suprise when we saw in the garden,in with the dove's and pigeons was a male pheasent, what a bird,it's tail feathers were so long and the colours were great,we hope it come's back again tommorow, we did get a few photo's.we live near the countryside so that must be why.[keep feeding the bird's] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
icekhan   10 #53 Posted January 5, 2010 I think its a worthy cause by helping hungry birds at such a time when they struggle to get food in such a weather. I have a bird table in my house and I put all sorts of food. Every one should do and feed birds rather then throwing food--breads etc in bins. keep it up.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Bilge   34 #54 Posted January 5, 2010 Is there any point putting water out in this weather? Let them eat snow. Or are they too thick to figure that out? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
fox20thc   10 #55 Posted January 5, 2010 is it worth topping up the bird feeders today? I've not seen any birds at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Kthebean   10 #56 Posted January 5, 2010 Hi, What kind of fat can you use? I ask because I have a leftover ham from christmas, can I just put the rind/fat out for the birds? maybe with some breadcrumbs? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Yog Sothoth   10 #57 Posted January 5, 2010 yep, and..   these seem to outweigh the so called "benefits", i.e you think they are nice animals. i think its time to for you to stop tbh. can you not see that? you are indeed that rabies has not been present in this country for some time, but you never know when it might return, for it is still present in other countries across europe and the world. stop being so selfish  See that...  http://eatourbrains.com/EoB/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/troll.jpg  That's you, that is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Treatment   10 #58 Posted January 5, 2010 I prefer to feed the Hedgehog. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Saffy   10 #59 Posted January 5, 2010 I really wanted a bird table for Christmas but my OH wouldn't get me one .. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
GrahamY Â Â 10 #60 Posted January 5, 2010 I have some dried sultanas, will that be OK for Robins and Blackbirds? Â I go out in the morning with a bowl of hot water to pour onto the frozen bird bath so it's warm and steaming. One of the Robins jumps in for a splash around, then goes underneath where the snow has melted, hoping worms will be tempted to surface. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...